An adaptive BIST for INL estimation of ADCs without histogram evaluation

A robust low-cost test solution for static characterization of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) is presented in this paper. It uses an adaptive algorithm to perform a blind and accurate estimation of the Integral Non-Linearity (INL) of the ADC under test (ADCUT). Its main applications are for: a) simple off-line ADC test using modern mixed-signal ATEs (Automatic Test Equipments) without requiring any dedicated input stimulus, b) Built-in Self-test (BIST) for ADC INL evaluation either in concurrent (on-line) or non-concurrent (off-line) modes. The test validation has been performed through realistic behavioral simulations including noise, mismatch and non-linear errors. Experimental results for a custom-designed 10-bit Successive Approximation (SAR) ADC are also reported.